Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Hanshin Tigers


I recently traveled to Osaka, Japan for work on a new global client. One of my favorite parts of the trip was getting to see a Hanshin Tigers game. The Tigers are one of the most beloved Major League baseball teams in Japan.

It was a completely different experience than an American baseball game. Every single one of the 100,000 people there was totally focused on the game the entire time. The food was different -- rice with brown curry instead of hot dogs. The beer guys had backpacks with mini-kegs instead of tallboy cans. But what really stood out was how incredibly positive the fans were. They had set cheers for every player at bat, and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of songs to sing. When the other team was at bat, they didn't boo or yell, they just sat there silently. Their enthusiasm was really contagious -- by the end I was cheering along with them. And all this even though the Tigers were losing badly to the opposing Hiroshima Carp team the whole time.

The experience was a powerful reminder of how enthusiasm creates a positive feedback loop, and how negativity reinforces itself. It's a nice thing to keep in mind when the going gets tough.

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